Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-04
CATARRH.


THE TERM CATARRH IS APPLIED TO
l. peculiar disorder of the nostrils and
adjacent parts, which prevails to an alarm.
ing extent and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The most prominent and characteristic
feature is morbid discharge from the
head, varying in its nature at different
times.
In some there is an almost constant flow
OF clear, acrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or muco-purulent, greenish-ye elbow
matter is secreted, which accumulates in
the nOstrils or drops into the throat, neces.
stating its frequent removal by blowing the
processes. Sometimes patients feel as
though their whole head was in a state Of
rottenness, so great Is the amount of matter
discharged and so fetid is its odor. The
patient Is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat OF the morbid mat
ter from the head, and as q recumbent posi-.
tfon naturally favors the flow downward
his rest Is frequently disturbed from this
with the head very much elevated in order
to sleep with some degree of comfort.
In others a tough. viscid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat
and head, adhearing to the parts with glu-
ish tenacity. Its 1odgment embarrasses
respiration and creates q sens 'tion of irri
tation and uneasiness in the affected local.
1ty, which gives rise to O constant and al
most irresistible desire to relieve the dis.
comfort by drawing the mucus into the
throat so rs to eject It by the mouth. This
practice, popularity known as "hawking."
is characteristic OF catarrh, and proves as
embarrassing to the one affected as 1t is
disagreeable to those around him
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the membrane in the
ST ape of dry, bard concretions, which are
discharged by way of the nostrils or throat
in Jumps or fragments of deep green tint.
III some cases these incrustatiUns accumu.
late to such an extent rs to form a regular
plug in the nose, which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort. So firm
ly do these incrustatiOns adhere to the
point, of attechment that their removal
not unfrequen,ly u ey have to be torn from
the membrane Occasionally solid cast
of notable size is expelled, on which there
are generally traces of blood, but IN some
cases the cast presents q tubular appear
ance, being. of exact shape OF the nasal
cavity. This condition is indicative of ul-
ceratiOn, which, in time, may destroy the
bony structure of the nose and produce a
subsequent fistteDing OF that organ.
Gases are occasionally met with in which
a thick. viscid, Shiny secretion costs the
mem brane of the nasal cavities and then
putrifes, giving rise to stencil which is
really overpowering and sufficiently fetid to
poison the atmosphere ,h,.s OF whole VIII room;
:ions OF the membrane are suspended, caus-
ing an unpleasant feeling OF dryness, heat
and feverishness in the head and nose-a
condition popularity known as DRY Ca.
tarrh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
cavities of the bones OF the forehead and
face, giving rise to distressing sensation
OF h avy weight or compression over the
forehead, especially in the region above
snd between the eyes. and 10 a feeling of
fulness, heat, irritation, soreness or pain in
the nostrils near the root of the nose, as
well as in the upper part OF the throat,
above aud behind the soft palate. Some.
times there is pain obstinately fixed in some
of the head. at the back of the neck, or be-
hind the orbids, and occasionally pain
manifests itself in the face of so severe a
character that 1t is frequently mistaken for
neuralgia.
The breath is always tainted and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
0dOr. In some cases it becomes 50 revolt.
ingly offensive as to render the sufferer an
object of disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
congested, causing the nose to be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometime on the
other, and often Oh both, giving rise to
stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasionipg violent and prolonged
parOxysms of hneeZng.
The voice is weak, indistinct and husky
or of nasal character, displaying sort of
shifting quality. Oftentimes there is q con
tinuous hoarseness and discordance. There
is also sense of irritation in the throat,
and frequent attempts to clsar the parts OF
phlegm, producing the sound hem" more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling of
fullness, or choky ensation in the throat
and in others OF a distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief
of which they have to swallow frequently.
Others, again, speak of constant bad or
nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers mole or
less and becomes weak and irritable; the
appetite is capriciOus and nearly always
bad in the morning. The patient Is Ian.
euid, unable to perform mental or physical
labor with the usual facility is nervous. de-
pressed in spirits, at times fearful. timd,
agitated and inclined to drowsiness and
sleep, the memory weakened and perma-
nent impairment seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
morbidly sensitive to unfavorable indu-
ences. and iu spite of the utmost care be-
comes affected from the slightest causes, so
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
of the nose or throat becomes productive OF
q cold end gives rise to serious disturb
ances of the respiratory organs Thus the
patient is subject TO frequent and repeated
colds, each attack aggFayating the disease
by giving 1t a new impulse aud involving
larger extent or surface than It's predecessor.
organ to organ, invading the throat, larnyx,
trachea and bronchial tubes, until, en-
croaching further and further. IL reaches
the finer rsmi6cations OF the broncbi, when
but slight impulse Is required to send 1t
to the lungs Catarrh may, and often does,
affect other organs in the body, especially
those containing mucous membrane. such
as the stomach, bowels, kidneys. etc.
By the employment OF proper inhalations
in the form of medlcated vapor (not steam
ON a ahla To nrOlulp i'm m p1inta
and direct action upon the diseased surface
in the pharynX and nassl passages, for air
will find It's way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where 1t Is utterly impos-
sible to make fluid applications. BY these
means every case can be cured.
OZENA.
Ozpna is the professional or technical
name given to an advanced form OF catarr h
i'm which liberation has eaten through the
membrane lining of the nose to the carti-
! lage of the bone. Anv case OF catarrh may
| end in cz9na, but 1t most frequently occurs
discharge takes place through the nostrils
/ or through the throat. and Is generally OF a
yellowish or greenish yellow color, fire.
quently tinged with blood and almost al
ways attended by an offensive smell. In the
Language of DR.. Wood, of Philadelphis,
| 0The disease Is one of the most obdurate
and disggreeable which the physician has
to encounter In bad casesthe breath OF the
| patient becomes so revolving ds 70 lsOlatt
him from society and to render him an OBJ
iect of disgust even to himself" In some
eases piecss of bone become separated and
slough off, leaving deep, unhealthy ulcers
which secrete bloody natter and are ex
tremely difficult to heal. After ter eczema hs
Usually becomes impaired and often lost
Dsafness is one of its mos. common conse
|Guences, and results from its extension
throug the eustachian tubes to the interna
ear. Pains in the head and over the fronta
sinuses. impairing memory. and even in
sanity frequently spring from its extension
10 the brain The greatest danger. how
aver because the most common, is that
will extend downward and affect the lungs
In most cases of pulmonary disease catarri